Single pole six throw, high speed, microwave waveguide switch



Oct. 14, 1958 L. A. MEADOWS 2,856,590

SINGLE POLE sxx THROW, HIGH SPEED, MICROWAVE WAVEGUIDE SWITCH Filed July 15, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 W H I H u 9 v w 9 fi q y u 5 B m 5 m m u D r [J Z I ATTORNEYS Oct. 14, 1958 A MEADOWS L. 2 SINGLE POLE SIX THROW, HIGH SPEED, MICROWAVE WAVEGUIDE SWITCH Filed July 15, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. I g 5 LEE A. uuoows BY mf% TTQRNEYS SINGLE POLE SIX THROW, HIGH SPEED, MICRO- WAVE WAVEGUIDE SWITCH Lee A. Meadows, San Diego, Calif., assignor to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy Application July 15, 1955, Serial No. 522,409 7 Claims. (Cl. 333-98) (Granted under Title 35, U. S. Code (1952), sec. 266) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

This invention relates to waveguide switches and more particularly to a single pole six throw high speed microwave waveguide switch capable of switching 250 kw. peak R. F. power from a single input to six independent outputs at the rate of 2,000 outputs per second.

Previously used gas and ferrite switches capable of this performance do not have longenough useful life to be practical and mechanical switching has been too slow. They do not provide enough switch outputs per rotor revolution.

The present invention employs a novel way of high speed switching through use of six outputs, a single input and two discs rotatably mounted in spaced relationship. Each disc has two 30 apertures 180 apart. The apertures of one disc is offset 30 from the other disc. The openings of three outputs may be blocked by one disc and the openings of the other three outputs face the other direction and may be blocked by the other disc. The output openings and the disc apertures are so spaced and arranged that at all times one and only one disc aperture is aligned with one outlet opening to permit energy to flow therefrom. During one revolution each of the six outlets are opened twice by the disc apertures, making twelve switches per revolution of the discs or 2,000 per second.

The 30 disc apertures provide optimum on-time to off-time ratio and in combination with the choke configuration provides a flat amplitude response during on-time of each output.

An object of this invention is the provision of an improved high speed waveguide switch.

A further object is the provision of a mechanical switch capable of switching 250 kw. peak R. F. power from a single input to six independent outputs at the rate of 2,000 outputs per second.

A further object is the provision of a waveguide switch having optimum on-time to oil-time ratio and a flat amplitude response during on-time of each output.

Another object is the provision of a mechanical waveguide switch which is simple to fabricate, easy to maintain, yet is rugged and dependable in service.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings 'wherein:

Fig. 1 is an elevation view of the switch;

Fig. 2 is a plan view taken along line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of an outlet taken along line 3--3 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 shows the relationship of the apertures in the two switching discs; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the complete distribution assembly.

United States Patent 0 configuration provide a flat 2,856,590 Patented Oct. 14, 1958 Referring now to the drawings wherein like numbers designate like parts in each of the several views, there is shown in Fig. 1 the series take-off waveguide distribution assembly 10 comprising a plurality of waveguide sections, A, B, C, D, E, and F. These sections are joined by standard waveguide flanges 11. Three of the flanges include brackets 12 which are attached to spacers 13 which in turn are-secured between end bearing plates 14 and 15. These plates support therein the complete distribution assembly 10. Each section has a series waveguide takeoff 16, the takeoifs of adjacent sections being disposed on opposite sides of the assembly 10, as shown in Fig. l and Fig. 2. As shown in Fig. 3, each takeoff has a 360 circular choke slot on takeoif flange 17 on its open end. Shaft 18, shown in Fig. l, is mounted for rotation on plates 14, 15 concentric with the sections and drives the two switching discs 19, shown in Figs. 4 and 5. These discs are located on the shaft so as to pass closely adjacent to the series takeoff flanges 17, respectively, located on opposite sides of the distribution assembly.

Fig. 4 shows the relationship of the apertures 20 in the upper and lower discs 19. Each disc has two diametrically opposed apertures of 30 width permitting each output to be energized twice per revolution of the shaft. The discs 19 are angularly displaced on the shaft so the apertures 20 of one are displaced 30 with respect to the other. With the angular position of the takeofis 16 of each section shown in Fig. 4 designated by its section, A, B, C, D, E, and F, with a counter clockwise rotation of the shaft, the firing sequence will be A, D, E, B, C, F. The 30 disc opening provides optimum on-time to offtime ratio and the combination of disc aperture and choke amplitude response during the on-time of each output.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. -It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:

1. In a microwave communication system having a single signal source and a plurality of signal receiving elements, a waveguide switch comprising a plurality of sections connected to form a curved waveguide, a plurality of takeotfs forming an outlet for each waveguide section wherein the adjacent takeoifs are disposed on opposite sides of said waveguide, and switching means including a rotatable disc adjacent the outlets on each side of the waveguide, equivalent apertures in each disc angularly displaced for channeling energy sequentially and twice for each revolution of said rotatable disc from each of said outlets.

2. The waveguide switch as in claim 1, said sections being serially connected together to form a curved waveguide, said sections having takeofi's symmetrically spaced radially and angularly from the center of said curved waveguide, adjacent takeoffs being at right angles to the plane of said curved waveguide and extending in opposite directions therefrom.

3. The waveguide switch as in claim 2, said switching means comprising a rotatable shaft extending perpendicular to the plane of said curved waveguide through the center thereof, two discs secured thereto in spaced relationship, one of said discs covering the outlets on one side of said plane, the other of said discs covering the outlets on the other side of said plane.

4. The waveguide switch as in claim 3, said discs having two diametrically spaced apertures thereon radially spaced for alignment with said takeoff outlets, said apertures having an angular width of l/N where N is the total number of outlets on both sides of said plane of said p.

5. The waveguide switch as in claim 4, said outlets provided-w-ith-a-flange portion with a860-circular-choke slot thereon, said slot and said aperture radial width providing .a eonst-ant amplitude versus time fungtiqn during the period the*two overlap.

' tures on one-dise being displaced 30-from-the-apertures on the other disc.

7. The waveguide switch as-in claim 6, in which the firing order during counter olocl iwiserotation of said discs is A, D, E, B, c, F, when A, B, c, D, E, F designate "the 'counter-clockwise' order-of said waveguide'takeofi openings.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,'5=44,7l5 Mhzihmore Mar. 13, 1951 2,550,921 Greene May 1, 1951 '2;.57;6;943 Jenks -Dec.=:4,'- 1951 2,703,866 De L-a:Cova et-al Mar.' 8, l955 2,762,016 Montani Sept. =4,"1956- 

